New Year’s Six Bowl Projections: Week 11
– The College Football Playoff committee wants to create the best matchups possible. Geography will matter a wee bit, but it’s all about creating the best matchups possible.
– All Power Five conferences get a team into either the New Year’s Six or the College Football Playoff. The ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, SEC all get a top team into one of the big games, and the top-ranked Group of Five champion is in, too.
Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl
Thursday, December 30
ESPN, 7:00 pm
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA
Bowl Tie-Ins: At-Large vs. At-Large
Bowl Projection: Ole Miss vs Wake Forest
Last Year: Georgia 24, Cincinnati 21
Set the over/under on this at about 300. The winner of the ACC Championship – likely Pitt vs Wake Forest – will almost certainly be here along with the third-best SEC option.
Playstation Fiesta Bowl
Saturday, January 1
ESPN, 1:00 pm
State Farm Stadium, Glendale, AZ
Bowl Tie-Ins: At-Large vs. At-Large
Bowl Projection: Michigan State vs Notre Dame
Last Year: Iowa State 34, Oregon 17
It all depends on whether or not the College Football Playoff committee keeps Michigan ahead of Michigan State, and that all depends on what happens over the next two weeks when Ohio State gets the Spartans and then the Wolverines. Assuming the Buckeyes win those two, and both by roughly the same margin, the lower-ranked Big Ten will be here and the higher-ranked one will go to …
Rose Bowl Game
Saturday, January 1
ESPN, 5:00 pm
Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA
Bowl Tie-Ins: Big Ten vs. Pac-12
Bowl Projection: Michigan vs Oregon
Last Year: Alabama 31, Notre Dame 14
The call continues to be that Oregon will lose to Utah in Salt Lake City, but it’s not going to happen a second time in a rematch in the Pac-12 Championship. Again, flip a coin on Michigan and Michigan State to be here depending on how each one handles Ohio State.
Allstate Sugar Bowl
Saturday, January 1
ESPN, 8:45 pm
Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, LA
Bowl Tie-Ins: Big 12 vs. SEC
Bowl Projection: Baylor vs Alabama
Last Year: Ohio State 49, Clemson 28
The call is that Georgia beats Bama in the SEC Championship, but don’t be totally stunned if Auburn ruins things before that at home against the Tide. The Big 12 is stickier. Here we go …
Baylor wins out against Kansas State on the road and Texas Tech at home, and Oklahoma State beats Oklahoma in the regular season finale. Baylor would then go to the Big 12 Championship with a rematch of an earlier loss to OSU. The Cowboys win again, so …